Start a Business in North Dakota
North Dakota LLC Cost
We’ve compiled the most common fees so you know exactly what to expect when starting your North Dakota LLC.
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FAQs on how to determine North Dakota LLC costs
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Your LLC can become an official business entity under state law after you file Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State. You have to make a lot of important choices and include important information to complete your Articles of Organization. If you don’t know where to start with this process, you don’t have to worry. Our North Dakota LLC Formation Service can make it easy to form your LLC.
For only $0 plus state fees, we can help you file your LLC documents in North Dakota.
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It can be hard to determine the average cost to start a business in North Dakota because every business has different needs. Your LLC might have to fulfill multiple requirements before opening, including some of the following.
North Dakota LLC Filing Fee
$135: To properly file your LLC’s Articles of Organization in North Dakota, you need to pay a $135 filing fee.
Business Taxes
Rates and liabilities vary: North Dakota boasts fewer taxes than other states in the nation. But your LLC might still have to pay several taxes, depending on its activities. Your LLC might have to pay the following kinds of taxes:
- Property
- Sales and Use
- Workers’ compensation insurance
- Unemployment insurance
It’s important to speak to a tax professional about the specific tax liabilities your business can expect to face.
Registered Agent Fee
Free: Having a Registered Agent is crucial to running an LLC. You don’t have to pay for a Registered Agent if you’re willing to fill the role yourself, but this is probably not the best choice. A North Dakota LLC must continuously maintain a Registered Agent in the state to accept legal notices on behalf of the business. And that agent must be available during all business hours.
Taking on Registered Agent duties yourself while running your business can be a lot to handle. This is why many businesses choose to pay a small fee to hire someone else as their Registered Agent. Our North Dakota Registered Agent Service can help you quickly find a Registered Agent who suits your business’s needs.
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The filing fee for your Articles of Organization might be your most significant cost, but you’ll likely have to pay additional fees to keep your LLC running smoothly and in line with the law. These fees may include some of the following.
Certificate of Good Standing
To receive third-party funding or resources for your LLC, you might have to show proof of your LLC’s status with the state to a third party. This can be achieved with a Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State. To get a Certificate of Good Standing you have to pay $20.
DBA Name in North Dakota
If your LLC offers multiple services, you might want to consider marketing your LLC using different business names to represent each service. Any name you use for your LLC that isn’t its official name is a “doing business as” or DBA name. This is called a Trade Name in North Dakota, and it has to be registered with the Secretary of State. Registration of an LLC Trade Name costs $25.
Foreign LLC
Suppose you’ve already started an LLC outside of the state, but you want to begin doing business in North Dakota. You’ll need to file for a Certificate of Authority from the Secretary of State to conduct business within North Dakota. You have to pay $135 to file for a Certificate of Authority. Your Certificate of Authority needs to include a Certificate of Good Standing or a Certificate of Existence from the place where you formed your LLC, so you’ll likely need to pay a fee for that as well.
Business Licensing
To run your new LLC, you might need certain permissions from the government. Your new LLC might have to apply and pay fees for:
- Business licenses
- Permits
- Registrations
Your need to apply for licenses, permits, and registrations depends on what kind of business you’re running and where your business is located. You might also need to pay fees for multiple licenses and permits at the local, state, and federal government levels.
How do you determine what licenses and registrations your business needs? This requires lots of research. With our partners at Avalara, we can do this research for you and give you a comprehensive list of your licensing needs in our Business License Report.
For just $0 plus state fees, we can form your North Dakota LLC for you in just minutes. No LegalZoom promo code required: Pay just $0 plus filing fees for fast LLC formation in North Dakota.
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If you don’t fulfill your business’ financial obligations or pay your fees on time, you could be subject to penalties. North Dakota might also refuse to recognize your LLC as a business entity if you don’t pay your fees.
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If you can’t pay your filing fee, then your business can’t become an LLC. If your LLC isn’t official, you’re running your business as a sole proprietorship or general partnership by default. These other business structures leave you open to personal liability.
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You pay your LLC formation filing fees to the Secretary of State.
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What does it cost to start a business in North Dakota? That depends on your specific business needs. Your largest LLC fee will likely be the $135 you have to pay to file your Articles or Organization.
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You can use a credit card, check, cashier’s check, or money order to pay your filing fees to the Secretary of State.
How do I form my LLC in North Dakota?
1. Name your LLC
Your LLC needs a name so the public knows where to find you, and the government knows who you are when submitting paperwork, reports, and taxes. You have a lot of freedom when choosing your LLC’s name, but it must:
- Contain appropriate words or abbreviations that identify the business as an LLC
- Exclude words that suggest it’s a business entity other than an LLC (e.g., “incorporated”)
- Exclude words that suggest the business has an unlawful or unauthorized purpose
- Be different from other names on file with the Secretary of State
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2. Select a Registered Agent
Having a Registered Agent is a crucial part of running a legally compliant LLC. Your LLC’s Registered Agent needs to be located in the state and able to receive legal notices on your LLC’s behalf. They must be available to receive paperwork during all business hours. While you can fulfill this role on your own, it can take important business-building time out of your day. This is why some businesses opt to pay a small fee to hire a Registered Agent.
We can help you find a Registered Agent who fits your needs with our North Dakota Registered Agent Service.
3. File your LLC’s Articles of Organization
Your Articles of Organization make your LLC official. You file this document by mail or by using the Secretary of State’s online portal.
4. Create an Operating Agreement
A big draw of running your own business is the ability to fashion a business environment that suits your specific needs. You can write your own rules for running your LLC in an Operating Agreement. Your Operating Agreement can create rules about:
- The way to resolve disputes within the business
- The rights and duties of those running your LLC
- The procedures you use to run all aspects of the business
Without an Operating Agreement, your LLC has to operate according to the default rules under North Dakota law. This is rarely the best option because the default rules aren’t specifically tailored to your LLC’s needs.
If you don’t know how to write an Operating Agreement, we can give you an easy-to-follow blueprint. Our Operating Agreement Template can help you formulate and write out your own business rules quickly and easily.
5. Get an EIN
Your LLC needs to properly pay its taxes to remain legally compliant. LLCs that have employees, have more than one member (owner), or run as corporations need an Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) to pay their federal taxes.
If you don’t have to have an EIN, it’s still best to get one for your LLC. An EIN can help you open a business bank account and avoid putting your sensitive personal information on business documents.
You obtain an EIN by filing paperwork with the IRS, but we can handle this paperwork for you with our Employer ID Number Service.
Check North Dakota Annual Requirements
When you run an LLC in North Dakota, you need to check in with the state on a yearly basis. In North Dakota, you do this with an Annual Report. Your LLC Annual Report is due by November 15 every year after formation.
If you file your annual report on time, you pay $50. If you’re late filing your Annual Report, you’ll pay $100. We can help you stay on top of your reporting obligations and avoid late fees with our Annual Report Service.
Stay legally compliant
In business and life, things rarely stay the same. If your business changes, you might need to report the changes to the state government. This can be easy with our help. Our Worry-Free Compliance Service can help you stay on top of your compliance requirements and file two business amendments for you per year.
We can help!
Sometimes the deciding factor between business success and failure is your support system. Our business formation and maintenance services can offer the business support you need from start to finish. We want to see you reach success and we have the tools to help you get there!
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only, and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
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